


Team Edward (Nygma)

by angelsandbrowncoats



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Canon Divergence from 1x15, Fluff and Crack, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Sex, M/M, less cracky than i intended
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-07
Updated: 2017-07-07
Packaged: 2018-11-28 22:35:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11427633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelsandbrowncoats/pseuds/angelsandbrowncoats
Summary: Being a part-vampire is difficult. People can sense there's something wrong with you, so naturally no one wants to be your friend. Edward Nygma finds himself in such a scenario, until he finds the perfect solution: find a vampire to befriend instead.And between his style choices and his inability to die, Oswald Cobblepot seems the perfect candidate.





	Team Edward (Nygma)

**Author's Note:**

> This one has been in the works for awhile now, but I finally decided to get it done. I'm still not sure about how it went (it really should have been crackier) & the 'before and after' smut part is probably really awkward, but oh well. What can you do.  
> I hope you all enjoy!

Growing up part-vampire is hard.

Growing up part-vampire when the man who raised you was a drunk, washed-up vampire hunter is hell itself.

Ed would know.

It was his story, after all.

Sure, he didn't struggle with the same problems of full-vampires. He could walk in the sun and only come away with a nasty sunburn, provided he wasn't out for more than an hour or so. Mirrors weren't a problem for anyone in the modern age, so that hardly counted. He needed to eat normal food, although he still had to avoid things like garlic and onions and anything with too strong a scent. Vampires' heightened sense of smell made these foods painful to even be near. For Ed, it was more like a strong distaste. Still, scent was of vital importance to him.

Most importantly, his cravings for blood were more of the chocoholic variety than the alcoholic. It was dangerous for him to be around an excess of blood without getting the urge to consume it, but he never felt the need to _bite_ anyone.

The worst part, he thought, was the way his unnaturalness gave off a _vibe_. Sure, most of the world didn't even believe vampires existed, but people could feel something subtly off about him. Something creepy. A primal instinct of fight or flight that was triggered by his presence alone.

That, understandably, made it difficult to make friends.

He had tried his entire life to please humans. First his father, then his classmates, and now the GCPD. But the most he'd ever received was civility and pity. Neither a basis for friendship.

He knew what he needed to do. He just didn't know how to do it.

He needed to find a vampire.

They would understand.

They _had_ to.

Which was why seeing a dead man walking with pale skin and dark hair who always carried an umbrella and who enjoyed killing people fascinated Ed from the moment he strolled into the GCPD announcing his undead-ness to the world. Well, as good as announcing it, in any case.

From that moment on, Ed consumed every fact he could find on the man known as the Penguin. He couldn't mess this up. Not now.

The next chance he'd gotten, Ed had stalked Oswald across the GCPD. He was marginally disappointed that Penguin hadn't approved of his facts and riddles, but before the man could turn Ed spoke up again.

"I don't just know _who_ you are," he said, "I know _what_ you are too. Because I am too. Sort of. My mother was, at any rate, which in turn - "

"I'm sorry," Oswald tilted his head, "What?"

"I'm like you," Ed insisted, voice hushed to avoid the attention of the other cops.

"Really? How?"

"You must know," Ed pleaded, "Because it's too dangerous to say out loud. At least, here, it is."

Oswald's eyes widened as a look of realization and shock overcame his features.

" _You_? But you're," he waved his hand at Ed before squinting at him more critically, "Hmm, on second thought, perhaps you _are_."

He glanced away as he saw Detective Gordon, the man he'd come for, and distractedly added, "The party ends at midnight. Clearly you have something to discuss, so that's your chance. Show up then or not at all. Understood?"

"Roger dodger," he cringed as he realized the goofiness of his words too late to stop them.

The crime lord spared him one last appraising look before he hobbled after a most reluctant Jim Gordon.

Ed's smile slowly returned.

He'd finally found one of his own.

~ ~ ~

Ed ran his tongue carefully over his slighlty-too-large canines, eyes rapidly memorizing every inch of the street, in particular the entrance to the club. Oswald's.

With a deep breath he stepped up to the door, pushing on it lightly and grinning to himself as it gave way beneath his hand.

He paused once inside. The club itself looked... nice. Vampiric, almost. How wonderful.

A guard stood stiffly to the side, watching Ed's every move. He gave him a wave, enjoying the look of confusion, before a voice had him spinning around.

"Oh look, you showed up."

Oswald was slumped against a table in the corner, a nigh empty bottle of wine clutched in his hand.

"I did," Ed affirmed, moving to stand awkwardly by the booth, "I take it from your posture and facial expressions the night has not been as pleasant as you hypothesized it would be?"

"I'm pretty sure I'm too drunk to understand that but I think you're right," Oswald mumbled nodding at the seat across from him, "Well, go on. You clearly want something, so shoot."

Ed sat down and folded his hands before him neatly, "Correct. I do want something. Friendship. Comaraderie. Companionship. I'm awful at it. But you - you're like me. Maybe you'll accept me? They find me creepy, but it wouldn't make any sense for you to. You know?"

Oswald shrugged, "Sure. It's creepy, what we do. Can't blame 'em. So what exactly are you looking to do? Want a buddy to kill with or something?"

Ed blinked. He supposed full vampires had a stronger bloodlust, so it would make sense for Oswald to suggest such a thing, even though he'd been thinking something more along the lines of pizza and nintendo. But who was to say they couldn't bond over murder first?"

"Yeah, that seems like a good start," Ed nodded, "I'm out of practice, though, for all I work in a morgue."

"Must be nice, being able to fabricate evidence to cover up any bodies you leave behind."

"I don't use it often, but it does come in handy every once in a while," Ed conceded, "Did you have someone in mind or were you thinking of picking someone off the street?"

He wanted to forge this bond as soon as possible. He couldn't risk Oswald forgetting about him. Being immortal brought with it terrible memory, hence Ed's obsession with memorizing everything he could.

"Impatient are we? Very well, I know just the person," Oswald stood up, a little wobbly on his feet, but his voice strong as he bellowed, "Gabe! Bring the car around! My friend and I are paying someone a visit."

Ed grinned and followed in the Penguin's wake.

~ ~ ~

When the low-level goon breathed his last, Ed felt like he'd just returned from an out-of-body experience. Regardless of what Oswald thought, he'd never actually killed anyone before. It was... more fun than he expected. Oswald made a magnificent teacher of all things painful and Ed hadn't been able to look away as he got in the goon's face and licked his blood from the blade he'd just pulled out of him.

With the scent of iron so heavy in the air, Ed couldn't resist dipping his own fingers into one of the many wounds they'd inflicting, savoring the salty-sweet metallic taste as he sucked on them, eyelids fluttering shut. A loud clatter to his side startled him and he turned to see Oswald had dropped the knife and was openly gaping at him.

"What?" he blinked, eyes wide with confusion and concern. What had his... friend? so shocked?

It was probably the alcohol that had loosened his tongue, but that didn't change the fact that Oswald replied with, "You're _beautiful_ ," in a breathy, awed voice that had Ed shivering with expectant pleasure.

He wasn't sure who moved first, but soon enough Oswald's mouth was on his, both men tasting the blood of the dead man on each other, adding a thrilling layer to their desire. Oswald kissed like he was trying to devour Ed and Ed lost himself in the experience, not even objecting to the hands that were running up and down his body, despite his usual touch anxiety. He knew he trusted too easily, but in this moment he knew, too, that he would give anything - _do_ anything - for Oswald if it meant getting to keep this.

With his mouth on Edward's neck - not biting, just _there_ \- and his hands drifting slowly downward, Oswald began whispering words of praise that had Ed's earlier shivers turning into full-body shudders. People rarely complimented him and _no one_ had ever done so as adamantly as this.

"You know," he had begun, "when I first saw you at the GCPD, I thought you were just some nerd. Probably talking to me on a dare from a co-worker who wanted to laugh at the both of us. I had no idea you were like this. I don't think I've ever had this much fun in my life. You were so good with that knife. _So good_. You are amazing, Edward Nygma. Spectacular, brilliant, cruel, and far too pretty. What are you doing at a place like that? I saw how they looked at you, Ed, how do you resist _destroying_ them? I'd kill each and every one of them for you, if you'd let me. They don't deserve to speak to you at all, much less the way they do. You should be ruling over them like a god. And what a fine god you'd make."

When his hands finally reached their destination, he looked up at Ed, eyes imploring as he asked, "Please? Let me be your first disciple."

Ed felt himself nodding, reaching forward blindly as he replied, "I don't believe in gods, but you know what's real? Kings. And you were born royalty."

~ ~ ~

How had he never suspected that a vampire's bloodlust was genuine _lust_? Wasn't he supposed to be intelligent?

Luckily the outcome far outweighed his disappointment at failing to predict it, Ed thought as he lay on the warehouse floor, not ten feet away from the goon's corpse. Oswald was curled at his side, the fingernails on his left hand raking lightly over Ed's still-bare chest. They'd caught their breath ages ago, but neither one wanted to be the one to break the moment. Because then they'd have to leave and they'd have time to face what both were hiding from the other: that this was very new territory for the both of them. Neither made a habit of bonding over murder followed by hooking up, although both had enjoyed it more than they would have guessed had someone asked beforehand.

In the end, Ed's phone made the decision for them. His secondary alarm, set for 5:30 a.m. (Ed enjoyed the early hours of the morning, since it gave him a better reason for being alone).

"Oh dear, it can't be that early!" he checked his watch for confirmation, blood draining from his face as he realized that yes, indeed, he only had two and a half hours before he needed to be at work.

"We... we need to clean up the body," he said in a rush, sitting up. Oswald grumbled at his movement and tried to pull him back, "Don't bother. I've got people for that, now. Besides, you're forensics. Just lie if we missed something."

"But - but - "

"Set an alarm for another half hour. Lie back down and take a nap. You'll have more than enough time to clean yourself up and be ready. Hell, I can even bring you coffee. I need to stop by the GCPD again today anyway. But both of us need at least a _little_ sleep, right?"

Ed laughed. He had been under the impression that vampires didn't need sleep at all, but he'd never known for sure.

"You learn something new every day," he quoted.

" _Yeah_. Now come here and sleep."

~ ~ ~

Oswald had been right. Two hours was ample time to shower and hide his bloody clothes. The problem wasn't that. The problem was that the warehouse was close to Oswald's club, but far from Ed's apartment. So while there was a shower and shady laundry service at his disposal, there were no clothes to replace the ones he had to leave behind. Which meant that Oswald had shrugged and dropped by a store on the way there to buy Ed a suit off the rack as if it were no more than a burger and fries. In fact, Oswald had _apologized_.

"Sorry," he'd said, "No time to get a tailored one. You'll have to make do."

Ed wanted to laugh in his face at the very idea of him in a tailored suit, but he was too overwhelmed to utter a sound.

As Ed was walking out of the club to retrieve his car, Oswald called out, "Hey, Ed? It's okay if you don't want to, but I'd lo - like to do that again sometime. Feel free to drop by whenever you're, well, free."

He looked over his shoulder at the small, unsettling, vicious, _beautiful_ man behind him, "I will. Thank you, Oswald. For everything."

"It was all my pleasure. Literally," he answered with a smirk, "And I am definitely picking myself up some coffee and breakfast on the way over. I'd be glad to get you something if I have your order?"

"It's really not necessary."

"Please," Oswald waved a dismissive hand, "I've always wanted the opportunity to spoil someone."

"Well, if you must, hazelnut coffee with two creams or Earl Grey if it's tea. And a scone or muffin might be nice, if they have them."

"Of course. See you soon," Oswald winked, the image saved in Ed's memory as he departed for work.

~ ~ ~

If Ed secretly expected his coworkers to notice his new, pricey clothes, he was sorely disappointed. It was probably a good thing, considering how he got them, but he couldn't help but sigh at just how invisible he was. If someone was talking to him, there was a forty-percent chance it was about a case and a sixty-percent chance it was to yell at him or mock him in some way. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had conversation as amiable as what he'd just experienced with Oswald.

Yes, his hypothesis had been correct. He'd needed a vampire to befriend him.

And apparently more than befriend him. That had, admittedly, been a surprise. His gaze strayed towards the archives as he tried to summon Miss Kringle's face in his mind. He knew he was attracted to her, despite her numerous rejections. He figured he just needed to try different approaches. Now, he wasn't so sure.

Could Miss Kringle ever make him as happy as he had been with Oswald last night? He'd dreamed of taking her to concerts, of kissing her hand in cafes, of staying up late with her to watch movies, of cooking three course meals for her. And all of those things still appealed to him.

But now that he'd experienced the sheer adrenaline rush of murder, of _torture_ , of both having that ultimate power over another and _sharing_ it, of a desire so ravenous as to compel him to give up his control entirely, how could he settle for anything less?

And he was not fool enough to think Kristen could ever give him any of that.

"Hey, Nygma! Get your ass over here and give us what you've got on this fear juice thingy."

He rolled his eyes at Bullock's deliberate obtuseness and made his way over to the dream team's desks.

"Dr. Crane's papers were, frankly, fascinating," he gushed, his enthusiasm for knowledge briefly drowning out all other emotions, "From it, I have deduced that - "

"Good morning, gentlemen," a nasally voice interrupted him, but he couldn't bring himself to be upset as the scent of fresh baked goods and coffee greeted him. To Ed's left, Jim rolled his eyes, "Penguin. I thought I told you to stay away."

"Couldn't resist, _Jim_ ," Oswald bit out, much of his prior friendliness gone, "Besides, I had a delivery to make."

"What?"

Oswald gave his trademark condescending smile to Jim before turning a much more genuine one on Ed, handing him a brown paper bag and a steaming to-go cup, "Compliments of a certain prospering criminal. You'd better watch yourself, Edward Nygma. This one's got his eye on you, and he's not one to be trifled with."

Jim bristled as he took a step in front of Ed, "So that's why you're here? To threaten our best forensics officer? Pestering me just wasn't enough, was it. You won't be satisfied until you've bothered every soul in this goddamn building, will you?"

"Why, Jim, I'm hurt," Oswald gasped dramatically, placing his now free hand against his heart, "Such unfounded accusations."

"Yeah, yeah. Just get out, and leave Ed alone, alright? He has enough trouble without you and whoever sent you getting on his back."

Ed wanted to laugh. Jim was being _protective_ , as if he were any kinder when it came down to it. Ed supposed he probably didn't recognize his behavior as hurtful. But instead of laughing, his anxiety got in the way and all he managed to do was mumble, "Don't worry about me, Detective, it's alright."

He dropped his file on the Crane case on Jim's desk, more interested now in the prospect of breakfast than of sharing his information with those who clearly did not appreciate it.

"Thanks, O- Mr. Penguin, sir."

Oswald smiled brightly at him, "Not at all, my friend."

"Oh, _god_! Don't start with him, don't fucking start!"

~ ~ ~

Ed was still grinning to himself as he settled in the break room, finally opening his bag. His jaw dropped as he peered inside, revealing a hoard of mini muffins and a handwritten note.

_You never said what kind you liked, so I thought I'd get you all of them ;)_   
_~O.C.C. XOXO <3_

Oh dear, why did that have to be so adorable? Now Ed was imagining doing all the things he'd wanted to do with Kristen, but with Oswald. Surely the Penguin wouldn't be interested in something so... domestic. Would he?

He was halfway through the muffins when Jim poked his head into the room, "Hey, Ed, we've just got news of a body in a warehouse in the Industrial District. We gotta head out."

"Oh. One moment," Ed held up a finger, carefully wrapping up the last of his muffins and stashing them in a pocket, keeping the note in the pocket over his heart. Okay, so maybe he was a hopeless romantic. Hopefully that wouldn't get in the way of what he had with Oswald, whatever it may be. He finished the coffee in a large gulp, dropping it in the garbage bin by the door. Jim peered at it dubiously, "You actually drank that? Weren't you worried about poison?"

"No," he shook his head, refusing to elaborate. Unfortunately, Jim didn't get the hint and grabbed his arm. Ed stiffened at the contact but said nothing.

"Hey, is everything alright? Has Penguin been bothering you? Hurting you?"

He shook his head again, "No, no. I - I just talked to him once. I thought he seemed familiar when he first showed up and I got curious. Turns out we went to the same middle school."

Ed knew he was a poor liar, so he thanked his lucky stars (not that he believed in that rubbish) that Jim could be rather dull at times.

"Oh. Huh. Must be weird."

"Not really."

~ ~ ~

The body at the warehouse had, of course, been the one he and Oswald had put there. Oswald's people had done a marvelous job cleaning up the site, and Ed barely had to do anything to throw the police off the scent.

That had been almost three months ago. These days, Ed was a regular at Oswald's, particularly after hours. They'd made it their Friday night Thing to go out and brutally slaughter people who had pissed them off, followed by intense and bloody sex. But Ed was glad to find it didn't end there. On Saturdays, they often spent the morning in, being just as domestic as Ed could possibly wish. Ed was beginning to suspect that he wasn't the only one who thought of their relationship as serious.

So, naturally, he made things awkward by bringing it up.

"You didn't think I saw this as dating?" Oswald gaped at him, "What the hell else should I have seen it as?"

"I don't know!" Ed held up his hands as if in defense, "I just couldn't imagine someone as clever and powerful and gorgeous as you actually wanting, well, _me_."

Oswald sighed, "Oh, Ed. I mean every word I say when I'm making love to you. Never doubt that. And never doubt _me_ again."

Ed shook his head, "I won't. I promise."

"Good."

"I just didn't know serious relationships were a thing for people like you and me. I always wanted one, but... how?"

"You honestly think there aren't any serial killers out there with significant others? Come, now, Ed - you're supposed to be the smart one."

"No, no, I didn't mean serial killers. I meant vampires."

Oswald dropped the wine glass he had been holding.

"I'm sorry?"

"You know, vampires. I didn't think we did the whole _dating_ thing. But I'm only half-vamp and I was raised human, so I don't really know. I've learned so much from being around you. Did you know, you're the first full vampire I've ever met?"

Oswald's jaw hit the floor, "I'm sorry, I think I misheard you. Did you say 'vampire'?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Oswald. You know well and good that we exist."

Now the Penguin was shaking his head, "Ed, darling, I have no idea what you're talking about. This is Gotham, so vampires truly wouldn't be the wierdest thing to happen, but I assure you, I am fully human. My mother's name is Gertrude Kapelput. You can meet her if you like, she'd probably like you."

Ed shrugged, "That doesn't prove anything. You don't have to hide, Os. My mother was a vampire, too. As a full vampire, you must have been bitten. If it was recently, of course your mother could still be alive."

Oswald simply leaned forward, "You can look at my neck, Ed, but the only marks you're going to find were put there by you."

And it was true.

Now it was Ed's turn to shake his head, "But, but that's not possible! You have to be a vampire. It's the only explanation!"

Oswald frowned, "The only explanation for what?"

"For everything! Why you were willing to talk to me, befriend me, _date me_. Why you enjoy killing so much. And the blood. Ha! I knew it! You have to be a vampire. Why else would you constantly be licking your victims' blood? Besides, look at you," he waved a hand to indicate Oswald, "The look, the style, the seeming impossible to kill. It all fits."

"I'm sorry, Ed, truly, but that isn't anything more than my style and my luck. As for the blood, well," he blushed, "some people merely _enjoy_ that sort of thing."

"But what about me? Why aren't you scared of me or disgusted by me like everyone else? No human has ever even _liked_ me!"

Oswald sighed, reaching out carefully to cup Ed's cheek in his hand. He tried to retract it when Ed flinched back, but Ed captured it before he could, holding it close.

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe you've simply been surrounded by the wrong sort of people? Even if you're telling the truth and you are half-vampire, I guarantee I have done worse things than you. So why should I be scared or disgusted? No, I find myself in awe of you. There's something special about you. Something different. I've been intrigued from the moment we met, like a moth to flame. But you won't burn me, Ed, because if I'm a moth, I'm motherfucking Mothra."

Honestly? It was the swearing that convinced Ed. Oswald rarely swore, so he had to have been serious. Ed swallowed, "I believe you, but... Do you really still want to be with me now that you know?"

Oswald rolled his eyes, "Obviously. If you being a vampire was enough to make me stop loving you, I wouldn't be sitting here having this conversation with you at all."

Ed's eyes snapped to meet Oswald's.

"...love?"

"Oops. I - I mean - "

"You're in love too?"

"I - wait, what?"

"I love you, Oswald," he said, feeling light-headed as he finally spoke the words aloud, "I have for some time now."

Oswald placed a hand over his heart.

"Ed, you are the love of my life. I just didn't know how to tell you."

Ed let himself be pulled down into a kiss and this time he felt Oswald's tongue focus on his canines, where his own so often ran in nervousness.

When he pulled back, it was to ask, "So those really are fangs, huh?"

"Yes, technically," Ed rubbed the back of his neck, "Full vampires should have longer one's though. And there's are supposed to be retractable."

"Fascinating. How do they work?" he reached up with a finger to trace one of them. Ed sat as still as possible, waiting for him to finish before replying, "I think you make a puncture and then, you know, you suck blood out of it."

"And how do you turn someone into a vampire?"

"There's a gland, right above the fangs. I can activate it at will. If I do while I'm biting someone, the gland will secrete the necessary chemicals to spark the transformation. Or, well, it should. I've never actually tried it."

Oswald wrapped a hand around Ed's, squeezing hard but not uncomfortably, "Would you like to? Try it, that is."

Ed gasped, "Do you- do you really mean it?"

Oswald arched his neck in response, "Absolutely. Increased durability and the prospect of forever - especially a forever with you in it? My dearest love, how could I resist?"

Guided by some deep instinct, Ed lunged forward, fangs puncturing soft flesh as Oswald cried out beneath him. Concern flared in his chest and he almost pulled away before Oswald's arms came up to hold him closer as he gasped out, "I didn't know it would feel so good."

Ed smiled into his neck as he triggered the chemical release, giving himself over to his darker side. When he came back to himself, Oswald was still there, only now he had fangs protruding from his mouth and his eyes were dark with power and lust.

"Now we're going to be unstoppable."


End file.
